Sheet delivery controlling method and means therefor



July 5, 1949. A. woRM'sl-:R 2,474,997

SHEET DELIVERY CONTROLLING METHOD AND MEANS THEREFOR med Feb. 21. 1947 www M Patented July 5, 1949 SHEET DELIVERY CONTROLLING METHOD AND MEANS THEREFOR Arthur Wormser, Riverside, lll., assigner, by mesne assignments, to Miehle Printing Press & Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application February 21, 1947, Serial No. 730,165

6 Claims. (Cl. 1 -88) My invention relates to sheet delivery mechanism and it more specifically pertains to that class of deliveries which are used in connection with sheet fed printing presses and which include a travelling carrier provided with conventional sheet gripping means whereby sheets are removed from the printing couple of a press and conveyed to a sheet receiving member such as a delivery table.

Mechanisms of the class set forth may include sheet restraining means which engage the unprinted side of sheets to be delivered and maintain the sheets under positive control so that when they are released by the grippers of the travelling carrier the momentum of the sheets will be reduced and consequently the sheets will descend onto the delivery table smoothly and in a. fiat condition. Y

Delivery apparatus of this general type function well when sheets are to be delivered at comparatively moderate speeds.

With recent developments of sheet fed cylinder presses which are capable of operating at greatly increased production speeds, I have found that the trailing portion of a sheet, as it is being drawn over the sheet restraining means, such as a suction roller, fiutters to such an extent that the suction roller, or equivalent restraining means, fails to engage the sheet to control it, and as a result, the sheets will not deposit evenly, making it impossible to obtain a well aligned and smooth pile of delivered sheets.

I was therefore confronted with the problem of developing improved and novel means whereby the fluttering of the sheets, as they pass over the sheet restraining means, will be eliminated in order to assure positive. engagement of the sheets by the restraining means for the purposel of maintaining the sheets under complete control.

After much experimentation, I succeeded in developing an aero-dynamic method and means for controlling the sheets.

With a View to accomplishing this, I subject the sheets to an aero-dynamic action at points preferably in advance of the sheet restraining means.

This may be done in a manner that the location of the aero-dynamic means may be changed and the effect varied depending on the characteristics of the stock to be delivered.

To attain this end, one of the primary objects of my invention resides in the provision of aerodynamic sheet controlling means associated with a travelling sheet carrier and operative to ef fectively control the sheets and thereby to reduce the momentum of the sheets prior to being released and delivered onto a sheet receiving member.

A further object of my invention is to provide sheet controlling elements which may comprise a combination of elements such as a curvilinear sheet guide arranged in the path of the sheets to be delivered, a device arranged to engage and restrain each delivered sheet, thereby controlling it before and after being released by the sheet carrier and prior to being deposited onto the sheet receiving or delivery table, and aero-dynamic means operatively associated with the curvilinear sheet guide and restraining device, and arranged in the path of the sheets so as to act on them for the purpose of avoiding fluttering of the trailing portion ofA the sheets, thus'assuring contact with the restraining device until the sheets are released thereby.

According to another object of the invention, I preferably provide louvers or equivalent means in said curvilinear sheet guide as well asI one or more wider air gaps located intermediate the guide and the sheet restraining device.

A still further object consists in the provision of means whereby the restraining device can be adjusted according to the size of sheets to be delivered, and furthermore, in the provision of a curtain which connes one or more of said air gaps, the curtain being secured so that the dimension of the gap can vary according to the adjustment imparted to the restraining device.

Another object ot' the invention is to provide means for directing a blast of air onto the sheets in the vicinity of said sheet guide and/or said air gaps.

The invention also contemplates the provision of a gap located in a curved section or bend of the curvilinear sheet guide over which the sheets to be delivered are drawn and, if 'found essential, to apply a blast of air to the vicinity of or directly onto this gap as the sheets pass over it.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of sheet jogging blades which are adjustable along the lateral edges of the delivered piles of sheets in order to accommodate sheets of different sizes and to provide for the placing of such blades close to the corners of the pile.

Another salient object is the accomplishment of a novel method whereby the basic principle of my invention can be accomplished and which method, broadly stated, consists in the steps of conveying sheets to a delivery table or the like by means of an endless, travelling sheet carrier, applying sheet restraining means to the sheets while being conveyed by the carrier and prior to being released by it, and submitting the sheets to the action of aero-dynamic means prior to reaching the sheet restraining means to thereby prevent fluttering of the trailing portion of the sheets to be delivered and to assure adherence thereof to the restraining means while passing over it.

These and other objects of my invention will become apparent from the following description, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which I have elected to illustrate one preferred embodiment of my invention as applied to the delivery of a sheet fed rotary printing press, it being understood that, without departing from its principles, my invention may well be used in association with other types of sheet delivery mechanisms.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing in which the principle of my invention is illustrated diagrammatically and by Way of example as applied to a conventional sheet delivery mechanism of a printing press or the like sheet processing machine, the reference numeral I denotes a delivery table or board onto which delivered sheets are deposited. Thenumeral Il indicates a pile of delivered sheets.

As is well known in the art of delivering printed sheets from printing presses and the like machinery, the sheets as they accumulate on the table I0 are jogged into proper alignment by jogger blades l2 mounted along the rear edge, blades I3 and I4 provided on each side of the pile Il, and one set of blades l5 arranged across the front edge of the pile. The rear jogger blades I2 are preferably supported stationary While the blades I3, I4 andv I5 are mounted to move intermittently to and from the edge of the pile Il by well known mechanism upon delivery of each individual sheet.

It is also common practice in sheet delivery mechanism of the type to which my invention applies, that the printed sheets are removed from a sheet carrying member of a processing machine by means of a travelling conveyor such as an endless chain I'I indicated in broken lines in the accompanying drawing and which is provided with a series of sheet grippers I 8, I9, 20 and so forth whereby the sheets are held until they have reached a pre-determined position over the delivery table I0 or pile Il whereupon the grippers are opened by conventional cam mechanism not shown. so as to release the sheets and permit them to descend onto the previously delivered delivered sheets on the table I0.

For the purpose of supporting the sheets I6 during their travel from the sheet processing machine to the delivery table I0, a curvilinear sheet guide 25 is preferably provided which has upper and lower bends in it.

, Furthermore, in order to control each individual sheet so that it will be flat and its momentum reduced at the moment when the grippers of the travelling conveyor II releases it, a sheet restraining device is provided which may include a suction roller 26 which functions to engage the bottom face of a sheet as it is being drawn over it. This roller rotates at a surface speed which is slower than the delivery speed at which the sheets travel, and thereby restrains and controls the sheets at the time when they are released by the grippers of the travelling conveyor I1.

It will be understood that the parts so far described are well known means used heretofore for the purpose of controlling the delivery of sheets conveyed by chain deliveries. and as stated herein, such controlling means function satisfactorily when sheets are being handled at moderate rates of speed.

When these delivery speeds are increased, however. it becomes evident that the free ends of the sheets. due to the greater centrifugal force developed during their travel over the upper bend of the sheetI guide 25, flutter to such an extent that the suction roller 26 or equivalent means cannot engage the bottom face of the sheets and thereby fails to restrain and control the sheets.

Obviously ther .-fore, for the purpose of overcoming this condition it is essential to provide some devices additional to those just described so as to assure the building up of an even and smooth pile of delivered sheets.

I have found that the fluttering condition of the sheets, caused by the centrifugal force developed as stated abo' can be successfully eliminated by the introduction of aero-dynamic means applied to the sheets While passing over the upper bend of the curvilinear guide 25 and in the vicinity beyond said bend.

For instance, I discovered that any gap or any depression formed in an otherwise uninterrupted sheet guide such as 25 has a tendency to pull the sheets down and into contact with the surface of the guide. Therefore, if such gaps or depressions are properly distributed along the path of the sheets to be delivered, a more positive control of the sheets will be attained, and the fluttering of their free, i. e. trailing ends can be reduced to a minimum. The provision of such additional means as louvers in the curvilinear guide 25 will add to the effect that sheets as they are being drawn over the guide by the grippers of the travelling carrier I1 shall remain in closer proximity to the surface of the lguide and thereby help to reduce the tendency of fluttering.

(0 It has also been found that by applying one or more series of air blast nozzles to the upper or printed face of sheets as they are being delivered and locating such nozzles so that air will be impinged onto certain areas, for example, in the vicinity of gaps in the path of the sheets and/or within the limits nf the bends in the guide 25 over which the sheets are drawn, a still more positive control of the sheets can be attained.

Accordingly, I have developed aero-dynamic sheet controlling means which include among other elements a combination of air gaps or depressions in the path of the sheets to be delivered and preferably air blast means applied to the upper face of the sheets and in certain pre-determined areas.

This novel controlling means I will now describe as representing one preferred arrangement, it being understood of course that without departing from the principle of the invention various modifications may be embodied which will present the same advantages and which will come within the meaning of the appended claims.

Adjacent to and immediately in advance of the sheet restraining device, such as suction roller 26, I provide an air gap or depression 30 in the path of the sheets. This gap is preferably confined by a curtain 3| and by a downwardly extending portion of the curvilinear guide 25. 'Ihe upper end of the curtain 3| is attached t0 a tie-rod l2 of the carriage 33, which latter also supports the suction roller 26 and Jogger blades I2.

The curtain 3| passes over a guide bar 35 or the like and it is maintained taut by means of a weight or |bar 36 which is attached to the lower or free end of the curtain.

In order to accommodate different size sheets to be delivered, the carriage 33 is adjustable into various positions in any conventional and well known manner. The location of the carriage 33 and associated parts shown in full lines is that for maximum size sheets and the location of said carriage indicated in broken lines is approximately the location for the smallest size sheets which the delivery mechanism is adapted to accommodate. It will be seen that when the carriage 33 is moved towards the position indicated in broken lines, the gap 30 becomes increasingly wider.

Preferably. this carriage also has mounted thereon a static eliminator 3l of any well known type and serving for the purpose of neutralizing any static electricity that might generate in the sheets while they are being drawn over the various sheet delivery elements such as the guide 25 and other parts with which the sheets are in frictional contact during their travel.

The curvilinear guide 25 is preferably formed with a series of louvers 31 whereby narrow air gaps are provided in the guide 25 for the purpose indicated herein.

I have found that under certain conditions and g particularly so when sheets of maximum size are to be handled, the provision of an additional air gap 38 in the guide 25 is of advantage.

In order to avoid sagging of the sheets in the vicinity of the restraining member 26, the carriage 33 is formed with a supporting surface 39 which may extend across the entire width of said carriage and therefore of the sheets to be delivered.

Above the path of the sheets and arranged so that air will be impinged onto a sheet in the vicinity of or, if preferable, immediately above the gap 30 as the sheet passes over it, I provide a series of air nozzles 40. By the action of this series of nozzles, the air will hold down the sheets in still closer proximity of the gap 30 thereby. reducing the tendency of iluttering as the free ends of the sheets approach the sheet restraining member 26.

In order to furthermore assure that the sheets to be delivered will follow their pre-determined path, I may provide an additional series of air nozzles di so that this series will apply a blast of air across the sheets in the vicinity of the upper bend of the guide 25.

While I have not shown any specic means for that purpose, it will be understood that the series of air nozzles l0 and di are preferably adjustable so Ithat they may be placed into differentpositions' and angles depending on the size of sheets and the characteristic of stock to be handled.

As stated herein, the jogger blades i3 and/or id are mounted to be adjustable along the side edges of the pile II, as indicated in broken lines, so that these jogger blades can be located close to the corners of the pile vl l. I

While I have describedand illustrated herein one preferred embodiment of my invention, I Wish it to be understood that many modications in the elements and in the arrangement thereof, may be introduced by persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as deiined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:4

l. In sheet delivery mechanism of the class including a delivery table and a travelling carrier operative to deliver sheets in a curvilinear path onto said table, a sheet guide provided with air gaps and 'arranged in the path of the sheets to be delivered, a sheet restraining device'operative to engage the bottom face of each sheet as it is being delivered and controlit prior to and after being released by said carrier for depositing it onto said table, and aero-dynamic .sheet -controlling means including air nozzles and a confined air gap cooperatively associated with said sheet guide and said restraining device and arranged in the path of the sheets to act on them for the purpose of maintaining the trailing portion of a sheet in contact with said restraining device until released to deposit onto said table.

2. In sheet delivery-mechanism of the class including a delivery table and a travelling carrier operative to deliver sheets in a curvilinear path onto said table, the provision of novel sheet controlling means comprising a sheet guide provided with air gaps and arranged in the path of sheets to be delivered, a sheet restraining device'operative to engage the .bottom face of each sheet as it is being delivered and control it prior to and after being released by said carrier fordepositing it onto said table, and aero-dynamic sheet controlling means associated with said sheet guide and said restraining device and including air nozzles and a conned air gap located intermediate said guide and'said restraining device, all cooperating to act on the sheets for the purpose of maintaining the trailing portion of a sheet in contact with said restraining device until released to deposit onto said table.

3. In sheet delivery mechanism of the class including a delivery table and a travelling carrier operative to deliver sheets onto said table, the provision of novel sheet controlling means comprising a curvilinear sheet guide provided with air gaps and arranged in the path of sheets to be delivered, an adjustable sheet restraining device operative to engage the bottom face of each sheet as it is being delivered and control it prior to and after being released by said carrier for depositing it onto said table, a movable mounting for said device, aero-dynamic sheet controlling means operatively associated with said sheet guide and said restraining device, and including a confined air gap located intermediate said guide and said restraining device, a curtain confining said gap, and securing means for said curtain arranged for adjustment with said mounting and restraining device, said conned gap and an associated areo-dynamic means cooperating to act on the sheets for the purpose of maintaining the trailing portion of a sheet in contact with said restraining device until released to deposit onto said table.

4. In sheet delivery mechanism of the class including a delivery table and a travelling carrier operative to deliver sheets on-to said table, the provision of novel sheet controlling means comprising a curvilinear sheet guide arranged in the path of sheets to be delivered, an adjustable sheet` restraining device mounted on a movable carriage and operative to engage the bottom face of each sheet as it is being delivered and control it prior to and after being released by said carrier for depositing it onto said table, arco-dynamic sheet controlling means operatively associated with said sheet guide and said restraining device, a conned air gap variable in width and located intermediate said guide and said restraining de.. vice, a curtain conning said gap and associated with said carriage whereby the width of said gap is varied depending on the extent of movement of said carriage, and means mounted above said gap for directing a blast of air onto the sheets as they pass over the gap, said gap and associated aree-dynamic means cooperating to act on the sheets for the purpose of maintaining the trailing portion of a sheet in contact with said restraining device until released to deposit onto said table.

5. In sheet delivery mechanism of the class including a delivery table and a travelling carrier operative to deliver sheets onto said table, the provision of novel sheet controlling means comprising a curvilinear sheet guide arranged in the path of sheets to be delivered, a sheet restraining device operative to engage the bottom face of each sheet as it is being delivered and control it prior to and Aafter being released by said carrier for depositing it onto said table, areo-dynamic sheet controlling means operatively associated with said sheet guide and said restraining device and including louvers formed in said guide, a wide. unobstructed air gap provided in addition to said louvers and located in a curved section of the guide, a coniined air gap located intermediate the guide and said restraining device, and means mounted above said gaps for directing a blast of air onto the sheets in the vicinity of at least one of said gaps while the sheets pass over them, all of said sheet controlling means cooperating to act on the sheets for the purpose of maintaining the trailing portion of a sheet in contact with said restraining device until released to deposit onto said table.

6. In the method of delivering sheets from a printing press or other sheet processing machine,

the steps of conveying sheets at a constant speed and in a curvilinear path to a delivery table, applying sheet restraining means to the bottom face of the sheets to control them prior to and while they are being deposited onto said table, submitting the sheets to the action of aero-dynamic means while travelling along said curvilinear path by passing the sheets over a plurality of air gaps during such travel and prior to reaching the sheet restraining means, and subjecting the sheets to air blasts in the vicinity of and while passing over said air gaps to thereby prevent fluttering of the trailing portion of the sheets and assure adherence thereof to the restraining means.

ARTHUR WORMSER.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date I 1,156,903 Henderson Oct. 19, 1915 1,569,256 Bobst Jan. 12, 1926 1,736,482 Broadmeyer Nov. 19, 1929 2,011,505 Smith Aug. 13, 1935 2,138,178 Lang Nov. 29, 1938 2,381,430 Belluche Aug. 7, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 424,309 Great Britain Feb. 19, 1935 513,206 Great Britain Oct. 16, 1939 

